Code Of THUG LIFE

In 1992 at the ‘Truc Picnic’ in Cali, Tupac was instrumental in getting rival members of the Crips and Bloods to sign the Code Of THUG LIFE.

What do you think when you hear the word thug? A violent person maybe, or a criminal or a gangster? Well, Tupac Shakur came up with his own definition of Thug and sparked a whole movement from this vision.

Tupac was always for the underdog, the oppressed and the disadvantaged youth. In 1992, America was making out that most of the crime being committed was by the black community and calling them thugs and criminals.

In light of this and sick of his people getting blamed, Tupac came up with an an acronym for the word thug. “The Hate U Gave Little Infants F—s Everyone“. It was not just a catchphrase to Tupac, it was a movement. A way of life. In the same year, Tupac formed a group called Thug Life. The Group consisting of himself, Randy ‘Stretch‘ Walker, Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis and Rated R. They would go on to release one album together, Thug Life: Volume 1.

Tupac would take it one step further and got the words ‘Thug Life’ tattooed across his stomach. Replacing the “I” with a bullet.

Tupac would come up with the ‘Code of Thug Life’. Pac grew up around revolutionaries and gangsters who would give up their lives fighting for what they believed in. He used this as inspiration to draw up a code of ethics for gangbangers, promoting unity and peace. He visited his stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, in prison for guidance and direction with the Thug Life code. He put in place 26 rules and ethics for a more peaceful community.

He and Mutulu Shakur had helped write up the ‘code’ , with help from other ‘og’s’.

The Code of THUG LIFE is listed here. It details do’s and don”ts for being a righteous thug and banger.

Code OF THUG LIFE:

1. All new Jacks to the game must know: a) He’s going to get rich. b) He’s going to jail. c) He’s going to die.

2. Crew Leaders: You are responsible for legal/financial payment commitments to crew members; your word must be your bond.

3. One crew’s rat is every crew’s rat. Rats are now like a disease; sooner or later we all get it; and they should too.

4. Crew leader and posse should select a diplomat, and should work ways to settle disputes. In unity, there is strength!

5. Car jacking in our Hood is against the Code.

6. Slinging to children is against the Code.

7. Having children slinging is against the Code.

8. No slinging in schools.

9. Since the rat Nicky Barnes opened his mouth; ratting has become accepted by some. We’re not having it.

10. Snitches is outta here.

11. The Boys in Blue don’t run nothing; we do. Control the Hood, and make it safe for squares.

12. No slinging to pregnant Sisters. That’s baby killing; that’s genocide!

13. Know your target, who’s the real enemy.

14. Civilians are not a target and should be spared.

15. Harm to children will not be forgiven.

16. Attacking someone’s home where their family is known to reside, must be altered or checked.

17. Senseless brutality and rape must stop.

18. Our old folks must not be abused.

19. Respect our Sisters. Respect our Brothers.

20. Sisters in the Life must be respected if they respect themselves.

21. Military disputes concerning business areas within the community must be handled professionally and not on the block.

22. No shooting at parties.

23. Concerts and parties are neutral territories; no shooting!

24. Know the Code; it’s for everyone.

25. Be a real ruff neck. Be down with the code of the Thug Life.

26. Protect yourself at all times..

“If the enemy is not doing anything against you, you are not doing anything”
-Ahmed Sékou Touré

“speak truth, do justice, be kind and do not do evil.”
-Baba Orunmila

“Cowardice asks the question: is it safe? Expediency asks the question: is it political? Vanity asks the question: is it popular? But conscience asks the question: is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor popular – but one must take it simply because it is right.”
–Dr. Martin L. King

Some other Interpretations:

Thug Life means – The Hate U Gave Lil” Infants Fucks Everyone.

NIGGA means – Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished.

OUTLAW stands for ”Operating Under Thug Laws As Warriors”

MOB stands for Member Of Bloods and /or Money Over Bitches

Using this code, Tupac was able to get members of the Crips and Bloods to agree to it in California and was used in the 1992 gang truce. On the other side of the country, in Brooklyn, a meeting of big time gangsters and thugs firmly agreed to adhere to the code. “I got people in the penitentiary, big‑time OG criminals, calling me, telling me they want me to lead their movement,” Tupac explained.

By looking at the code he came up with, you can tell he was always thinking and strategizing, coming up with plans to help better himself and his people. At the young age of 22, Tupac had the vision of having the OG’s who were living the street life and getting money to be more productive. Sponsor sports teams. Putting not only money but community spirit back into the ghetto. He had a vision of putting a community center in every ghetto in the country. A center which included pool tables and a library, so the people living in the community could have better access to knowledge.

“When I say thug I mean not a criminal. Not someone who beats you over the head. I mean the underdog. You could have two people. One person has everything he needs to succeed and one person has nothing. If the person has nothing succeeds, he’s a thug. Because he overcame all the obstacles. Don’t ask me why, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the dictionary’s version of thug. Sorry. I have a whole energy that represents not just black youth but white youth, Mexican youth. Youth,” said Tupac Shakur.

Tupac’s thought process was way ahead of his time, given that he was only 22 at this time. There are many stories of Tupac thinking differently to others. Take Molly Monjauze, a friend and assistant of Pac’s. Molly helped put together the book ‘Tupac Remembered’ with Tupac’s aunt Gloria Cox. In the book she tells a short story of how her and Tupac saw a story on TV about a teenage girl who had been gang-raped and left in abandoned house and set on fire by a group of teenage boys.

Molly, horrified with what she had just heard, says “What kind of animals would do such a thing?” Tupac then looked at her with tears in his eyes and said, “Imagine what kind of animal hurt a child so badly, it caused them to do something like that.” Tupac saw past what the rest of the world were so quick to pass judgement.

Big Syke: “Thug Life was never meant to be a group. It was just the life that we was living. Thug Life is the nobodies, white, black, brown, any color, and so Thug Life is then just the life we have to live in America, because of the situations we been born into or grew up around.”

Dr. Mutulu Shakur, Tupac’s stepfather explained the Code Of Thug Life. “The word ‘Thug-Life’ came from the word ‘Thuggie’. The British colonized India and it was a group with in India who resisted the British and they were known as ‘Thuggies’. They had similar tactic like the Mau Mau’s in Kenya. The British used the words ‘Thugs’ to refer to any group of Outlaws defying oppression. Since Tupac was confronted by exploitation and oppression he accepted the principle and evolved the meaning of it amongst the same lines. We built the code Thug-Life to respond to the street life here in America.” 

Mopreme Shakur: Thug Life was always bigger than just the rap group. So, we, we still, we still out there, they’re all doing different things now. You know, Napoleon, is uh, Mutah is doing lectures and stuff. Um, i’ve been visiting, I’ve visited prisons out here talking to people in prison, you know? My father is still incarcerated out here. so still holding him down. Um, you know, we, we all try to address community issues still. The people, its all about the people.

A lot of people got the message but then a lot of people didn’t. So thats the reason why we keep pushing, you know? We don’t have the same visibility as we used to cause Pac’s not here. And that’s definitely gonna impact anybody. But you know, we carrying on his principles.

Tupac: Crowds were screaming Thug Life and I realized I started something. When I saw more and more people like me, it made me want to organize those thugs. We got power in numbers. If it’s me and a million more, you’d have to think about messing with us…”